February 8: For God So Loved the World
John 3:16 (ESV)
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
Read The Full Devotional Below.
The Weight of a Love Too Big to Understand
I’ve tried to imagine what it would take to love someone so profoundly that I’d be willing to give up one of my own children. Just the thought makes my stomach churn. As a father, the idea is completely foreign to me. Impossible, even. My job is to protect, to provide, to ensure my children’s safety at all costs. So when I read "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son..."—I wrestle with it. I try to wrap my head around it, but it slips through my grasp like sand.
It’s a love that defies every instinct I have as a father. It’s a love so massive, so unshakable, that I almost don’t know what to do with it.
And if I’m honest? Sometimes, I still struggle with it. Because understanding God’s love isn’t just an intellectual exercise—it’s a battle of the heart. It requires me to put aside my natural tendencies to measure, to rationalize, to demand explanations. It asks me to accept something so vast that it can’t be contained in human logic.
A Love That Leaves Us Stunned
It’s easy to talk about God’s love when we keep it on the surface. We say things like, "God loves you," but do we ever sit with the weight of what that really means? Because John 3:16 isn’t just a feel-good verse. It’s devastating. It’s breathtaking. It’s the highest cost paid for the most undeserving recipients.
God didn’t just say He loves us. He showed it. He demonstrated it in the most costly, agonizing, and sacrificial way imaginable. He didn’t send an angel. He didn’t offer a mere blessing. He gave His only Son.
And for who?
For us—flawed, sinful, undeserving people who, time and time again, run the other way. He sent His Son for the ones who mocked Him. For the ones who spat on Him. For the ones who would nail Him to a cross. For me. For you.
And still, I wrestle with this love. Because it’s so unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t waver when I fail. It doesn’t decrease when I doubt. It stands firm, unchanged, relentless. The love of God does not flinch at our rebellion—it overcomes it.
Picking Up My Cross in the Mystery
People like to think that picking up your cross daily means some big, heroic act. But sometimes, for me, it just means being okay with the uncertainty. Being okay with the parts of my faith I still don’t fully grasp. Being okay with the fact that I might never completely understand how God could love me this much.
But faith isn’t about having it all figured out. Faith is about standing at the foot of the cross, looking up, and saying, "Even though I don’t fully understand, I trust You."
It’s about surrendering, even in the mystery.
It’s about accepting that God’s love is so much bigger, so much more relentless than my mind can comprehend.
And here’s the truth: If I wait to understand it fully before I trust it, I’ll never trust it. God never called us to grasp every detail—He called us to believe.
Living in the Light of This Love
So what do we do with a love like this? How do we live in the light of such an extravagant gift? Here’s what I’ve learned:
We stop trying to earn it. God’s love isn’t something we achieve. It’s something we receive. Let go of the striving and just accept it.
We let it transform us. If we truly believe God loves us this much, then it should change everything—our choices, our relationships, our very identity.
We reflect it. If God could love us when we were at our worst, how can we withhold love from others? His love should flow through us, not just to us.
We remind ourselves daily. It’s easy to let the weight of the world make us forget God’s love. Meditate on it. Rehearse it in your mind. Preach it to yourself in the moments of doubt.
We rest in it. God’s love is not fragile. It’s not dependent on your feelings. It’s as firm as the cross it was nailed to. Learn to rest in that certainty.
A Prayer for the Lost Sheep
Father, I don’t always understand Your love. It’s too big, too deep, too costly. But I thank You for it. I thank You for sending Jesus, even though I could never deserve it. Help me live in the light of Your love, to trust You even when I don’t fully comprehend. And may my life reflect the love You have lavished on me. Let my doubts be swallowed up by Your truth. Let my heart find peace in Your embrace. Thank You for a love that never wavers, never weakens, never lets go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
An Invitation to go Deeper….
Join the FaithLabz 30-Day Prayer Challenge, where we seek God daily and learn to trust His plans. Let’s walk this journey of faith together!
